The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for retrieving stored messages. More particularly, the present invention is directed to providing individualized access to stored messages.
Some telephone message recording systems provide password-protected access to recorded telephone messages. Other telephone message recording equipment provides multiple, caller-selectable mail boxes where messages stored for respective addressees can be selectively played back by anyone. Both types of services are provided by many conventional stand-alone telephone answering devices (TADs) or integrated into telephones.
In either instance, the person playing back the stored messages must xe2x80x9cprogramxe2x80x9d the answering device or system; that is, this person must either select the mailbox number for the desired messages, or some other registered user ID, to hear the recorded messages. This requires the person to select and remember a user ID or password. Such passwords or IDs are frequently forgotten and in any event provide additional burdens in an environment of ever-increasing numbers of access codes which need to be remembered. Preferably such individualized playback would have convenient, one-button access, instead, like general-access TADs that play messages back for anyone, anytime the xe2x80x9cplaybackxe2x80x9d key is pressed.
There is thus a need for an improved TAD which provides secure but simple individualized access to messages.
The present invention provides individualized one-button access to recorded stored information by retrieving the information only in response to a playback key being touched by a person registered for access to one or more particular categories of stored messages. Providing individualized access to stored information is thus simplified by eliminating the separate step of receiving user inputs to identify the person requesting access.
In accordance with the present invention, a message recording system has a message storage medium on which multiple audio messages can be stored and a playback mechanism for providing an audible reproduction of a stored message has a playback switch that initiates an audible reproduction of a stored audio message, and a playback key that actuates the playback switch. The playback key includes a fingerprint sensor that provides a fingerprint identification signal to a fingerprint identification module. The playback key actuates the playback switch when a pattern indicated by the fingerprint identification signal is matched by the fingerprint identification module with a pattern registered for access to one or more categories of stored messages.
The message recording system has a registration mode which allows one or more users to register their fingerprints through the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprints are associated with user names or one or more mailbox identifications. The fingerprint identifications are then stored in a memory device in the recording system or located remotely from the system but accessible through a telecommunication link such as a network.
The playback key may also include a capacitive switch that activates the fingerprint identification module when the playback key is actuated, so that the fingerprint identification module attempts to match a pattern indicated by the fingerprint identification signal that was provided by the fingerprint sensor to the fingerprint identification module when the capacitive switch was touched with a pattern registered for access to one or more categories of stored messages when the playback key is actuated.
In another embodiment, the playback key includes a push button switch that activates the fingerprint identification module so that the fingerprint identification module attempts to match a pattern indicated by an information signal that was provided by the fingerprint sensor to the fingerprint identification module when the push button was actuated, with a pattern registered for access to one or more categories of stored messages when the playback key is actuated.
In particular embodiments, the message recording system includes a category or channel selector having multiple settings selecting respective predetermined categories of messages to be audibly reproduced by the playback mechanism. The playback key provides a channel-increment signal that sets the channel selector to a respective different setting each time the playback key is actuated, or if the playback key is actuated continuously for a set amount of time, so that a different predetermined category is selected until all the predetermined categories for the pattern matched by the fingerprint identification was registered have been selected. Categories may include types of messages, such as business or personal, or priorities of messages such as urgent or non-urgent.
To play back messages stored by the recording system in accordance with the present invention, the system responds to actuation of the playback key by sensing a pattern on a surface used to actuate the playback key, then matching the sensed pattern to a pattern registered for access to one or more categories of messages, and playing back messages in a category for which the matched pattern is registered. Messages of a different category are played back each time the playback key is actuated, when the playback key is actuated repeatedly by a surface having the same pattern, until messages in all categories for which that pattern is registered have been played back. In particular embodiments the fingerprint identification module is activated when the playback key is actuated.